Archived News - Good Neighbour Scheme
Eaton Bray Good Neighbours?
BRCC need your help to set up a
Good Neighbour Scheme in Eaton Bray.
Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity (BRCC) would like to work with you to provide support for any Eaton Bray residents who need occasional help such as a lift to the doctor's, shopping, collecting prescriptions, dog-walking, or simple practical help such as changing a light bulb.
Would you be interested in joining the scheme as a volunteer, or is there any way in which the scheme might be able to help you?
Either kindly complete the survey circulating in your area or
contact Simon Patterson at BRCC for more information:
Tel: 01582 419 487
Email: [email protected]
Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity
Supporting Communities across Bedfordshire
A Good Neighbour Scheme is a voluntary group run by local residents who recognise the value in having 'good neighbours', particularly where public transport and other local services can be limited and where people's family may not live close by.
Each volunteer decides what sort of help they are able to offer, how much and when. They do not undertake jobs best left to qualified professionals but can help with things like occasional lifts, befriending or shopping. All volunteers are fully insured for extra peace of mind. Anyone who needs a bit of extra help can ring the group's phone number. Calls are answered by a volunteer phone-handler, who matches the request for assistance with an available volunteer. There are currently over 40 towns and villages across Bedfordshire with Good Neighbour groups supported by Beds Rural Communities Charity (BRCC).
Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity (BRCC) is looking to work with local residents to set up a Good Neighbour group (Care Scheme) to help people living in the village. We would be very grateful if you could please let us know if you might like to join us or if there is any way in which we might be able to help you.
In the next few months a survey and information will be circulated throughout the village. We would be very grateful if you would complete it. Your replies will help us decide whether a scheme might work in Eaton Bray and we look forward to receiving your completed survey. Thank you for your assistance.
If you would like the assistance now or in the future we have listed below the services we think a Good Neighbour scheme could offer that might be useful to people in the area.
- Occasional lifts to doctors, lunch clubs, shops, etc.
- Befriending – popping round for a chat over a cup of tea
- Form filling / letter writing / help with using a computer
- Collecting prescriptions, pensions, / Occasional help with shopping
- Small household repairs/practical tasks (such as changing a light bulb)
- Pet-care / dog-walking etc. / Indoor plant watering / light gardening
If you think you might like to help, the amount of time you volunteer is entirely up to you - even a couple of hours a month helps! Volunteer expenses are reimbursed and all volunteers are fully insured and DBS checked, (formerly CRB). You could be
- part of the organising group – helping with publicity, fundraising, etc. Or
- part of the phone rota, to answer callers and match them to a suitable volunteer
For more information or copies of the survey please contact
Simon Patterson on 01582 419 487 or email [email protected]